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The importance of the above investigation cannot be overestimated,
as with the ever-increasing tendency for people
to have their main meal away from home, there is a grave
and ever-present danger of a big outbreak of food poisoning
should the standard of hygiene of the persons and premises
dealing with the preparation and handling of food fall below
the highest attainable.
As has already been stated, this investigation is being
undertaken by Mr. Allen and the Inspectors, and I should
like to take this opportunity of expressing my deep appreciation
of the unfailing efficiency and loyalty of Mr. Allen,
upon whose shoulders devolves the main responsibility for
the routine running of the Public Health Department.
At this point in my report, I should like to draw your
attention to an outbreak of acute poliomyelitis (infantile
paralysis), which occurred in August in a residential training
school for children's nurses, affecting four students and
one baby. This training school had some 56 student nurses
in residence, 30 resident children, and a 40-unit day nursery.
Although the infection was severe, one of the student nurses
dying from poliomyelitis, it was actively controlled in spite
of the many difficulties associated with a residential establishment
with close and daily contact.
The fact that the first case recorded occurred while the
patient was on holiday in another part of the country, and
that some eight days elapsed before the information was
received, raised a problem at the time as to whether the
infection originated in the school. The usual precautions,
however, were taken, and the school placed " in isolation."
Sixteen days after the first case had left the school, a
second—and ultimately fatal—case was notified with unreported
illness of two days previously. The parents of all
children and students were advised of the infection in the
school, and, if they so wished, to take their children home
after advising their own doctors and the local Medical
Officer of Health. With few exceptions parents so decided.
Ten days later a third case arose. The fourth case, a student
nurse, occurred five days later and was admitted to hospital.
This proved to be an abortive attack.
Nine days later the fifth case, a baby of eight months
who had left the nursery seven days before, was notified
as a mild case.
This was the end of the infection, and all investigations
carried out failed to prove the cause of the origin of the
infection. The school was re-opened a month later.
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